Writing Updates

This month has already been a lot better than the last few. My health concerns are getting better. I had surgery almost a month ago, but I’m healing nicely. Today was my follow-up with the surgeon, and I’m doing well. Thanks to everyone who has been sending me well wishes.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Part 4 Progress

I’ve been working very hard this month on the new trade system. I will have a larger write-up in my newsletter at the end of the month, but here are some quick facts about it.

In the first version, you will be able to trade with the following groups:

• Southern Ute

• Red Mamba Biker Club (Thelma’s group)

• Museum group

• River dogs

• Silverthornes

You will need to be friendly with them or be in an alliance to be able to trade. Trading will be less narrative (meaning there’s less of a story). When you trade with each group, you will sell items for trade value and use that value to buy items. There will be unique items you can only buy from certain groups. I have been listing these on Patreon and my Discord, but here are a few of the items:

Museum Group

Curator’s Sketchbook: A leather-bound journal filled with pencil renderings of famous ruins, artifacts, and hand-drawn maps.

Red Mamba Biker Club

Snakehead Bottle Opener: A steel opener forged from motorcycle scrap, shaped into a coiled serpent’s head with glowing eyes painted red.

Silverthorne Militia

Chess Set Carved from Ammo Casings: A makeshift chess set with brass and steel pieces crafted from bullet casings.

There will also be new ranged, melee, and hand-to-hand weapons, as well as new outfits.

One of the most exciting parts of the trade system is the economy built around trade. Buying items at a low value for one group and selling them to another at a higher value is possible.

Trading takes time unless you are already visiting the group, so be aware that it will use up your tasks between chapters.

Besides the trade system, I am starting to edit the story and fix the bugs people have reported.

At the moment, we are up to 980,000 words. I have no doubt we will hit that 1-million-word mark next month.